Toms Corfu Cruise Port Guide: GreeceMar 25, 2014 · Toms Corfu Cruise Port Guide: Greece Includes...

Toms Corfu Cruise Port Guide: Greece Includes an Old Town walking tour map of 10 churches,7 museums, 12 shops, and the fortress plus bus route maps and descriptions of Mon Repos Palace, Achilleion Palace, Paleokastritsa, and St George Bay.

Corfu (Kerkyra in Greek) has a population of 30,000 and isthe Capital City of Corfu Island. The island is about 40miles long and 20 miles wide. It is North and West of theGreek Coast separated from the mainland by a narrowchannel. The mainland directly East and North of Corfu isAlbania. See aerial photo at right.

Like other Greek Islands, Corfu is beautiful, surrounded bycrystal clear seas. Unlike other islands, Corfu has an elegant,cosmopolitan Capital City with impressive architecture,palaces, fortresses, castles, churches, monasteries, museums,squares, monuments, shops, and restaurants. Corfu is also a“green island” with lush vegetation due to the moderateclimate and 43 inches of rainfall a year. In July-August, theaverage high temperature is 88 F and rainfall is 0.3 – 0.7inch.

Corfu has over 40 beautiful beaches, many resort areas, andmountains; it is a popular vacation destination. The views are stunning and there are many things to do, so planahead for your brief stay on the island when your cruise ship docks.

You could spend your entire day in Corfu Town which is only 1.8 Km from the cruise ship dock.

I have included details and maps on things to see and do in Corfu Old Town. I've also described a driving touror taxi tour of Corfu Island which will take 4-6 hours depending on how long you spend at the different stops.Table of contents:

Port map, travel options to Old Town, overview map – key points of interest around Old Town 2-3Why GPS coordinates are important 4New Fortress area tourist sites 5-6Old Town street map with details on 10 churches, 7 museums, & 12 shops 7-14Liston & the Old Fortress area 14-16Exploring Corfu Old Town 16-19Sailing along the northeast coast 19-20Public buses – Route maps for Corfu City “Blue” Buses 21-24Renting a car Vs. a Taxi Tour 25-27Sites SOUTH of Corfu Town - Mon Repos Palace, Mouse Island, Achilleion Palace 28-30Sites NORTh of Old Town- Paleokastritsa area & St George Bay 31-43Corfu is a green island 43-44Corfu is a beautiful, diverse island – photos by Vangelis Koulouris 45-48User Feedback, Copyright Notice, Terms and Conditions for use of Toms port guides 49

CAVEATInformation contained herein is believed to be accurate. PLEASE verify the information you use for your travelplans. Opinions expressed are my own. This port guide is protected by copyright law - see the last page of thisguide for legal notices.

Tom Sheridan

NOTE: I would like to thank David & Adrienne Elgie, Carol Mills, Gene Pearce, Sharon Sumliner, and Vangelis Koulouris for their help on this port guide.

Corfu-03-23-2017 Page 1 of 49 For more guides, see www.TomsPortGuides.com

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Corfu Port (Google satellite map)

Cruise ships dock as shown on the map above. It's 1700 feet (520 m) from cruise ships to the Terminal. Youcould walk, but there's a free interport bus between ships and the Terminal (shown as blue dots on the map).

Check at the Terminal Tourist Desk RE options and cost to get to Old Town the day your ship is in port: • Usually, there is a public bus in the parking lot near the Terminal. It's 1.50 euro and a ten minute ride to the

Old Port Square bus stop next to the entrance to Old Town. The bus runs about every 15 minutes. • You could walk on paved sidewalks along Ethnikis Antistaseos (shown as the red dashed line on the map

above) from the Terminal to the Old Port Square. It's 5900 feet (1.8 km) and will take 23 minutes. Google Satellite View of Old Port Square Bus Stop



Options and cost to get to Old Town the day your ship is in port (continued):• You could take a cab to Old Town. There will be a cabs at the Terminal. Find a driver that will take short

fares. As a general rule, it costs 5 euros to get into a cab. I'd guess you could get a cab to the Old Port Square for less than 10 euros. You can share the cab with three other people, so cost is reasonable.

• Your ship may provide a shuttle bus to Old Town. Some ships offer the shuttle for free, but most charge ~ 7 euros. I believe that is a round trip charge. Check with your cruise line. Usually, the ship's shuttle bus stops at Esplanade-Spianada near Liston as shown on the map below. This is the most scenic/impressive entrance to Old Town.

Overview Map of Key Points Around Corfu Old Town

Old Town is outlined by dashed yellow lines on the map below. Old Town is one of the most beautiful towns inGreece. It's bordered by the New Fortress (St Mark) on the west and the Old Fortress on the east. The mainentrances to Old Town are at the Old Port Square and at Esplanade-Spianada. Use either entrance becauseyou'll want to walk through the town which is a relatively small area – note the map scale of 1000 feet.

The Esplanade-Spianada (Liston) square is very scenic with views of the Royal Palace, beautiful gardens,impressive architecture, and access to nearby museums, restaurants, and shops. With the exception of climbingthe fortresses, it's easy to walk in Old Town. The streets are pedestrian-friendly and flat.

Corfu International Airport is south of Old Town.

San Rocco Square is important because it's the main public bus station near Old Town. This is a good place tovisit if you plan to use public buses.



GPS Coordinates for the “Overview Map of Key Points Around Corfu Old Town” (see the previous page)

Port Cruise Terminal N 39° 37' 44.53", E 19° 54' 3.92"

Port Entrance Gate N 39° 37' 37.12", E 19° 54' 14.12"

New Fortress (St Mark) Entrance N 39° 37' 28.78", E 19° 55' 2.35"

Old Port Square Bus Stop N 39° 37' 34.60", E 19° 55' 10.27"

Esplanade-Spianada Cruise Ship Shuttle Bus Stop N 39° 37' 24.40", E 19° 55' 30.04"

Old Fortress Entrance N 39°37′24.3″, E 19°55′35.8″

San Rocco Square - Public Bus Station N 39°37′18.6″, E 19°55′04.7″

Corfu International Airport N 39°36′28.7″, E 19°54′53.3″

Why GPS Coordinates Are Important for Corfu Island

Maps for Corfu are hard to find. The best street map I've seen for Old Town is the free map from the TouristDesk at the cruise ship terminal. I've scanned that map and marked it up for use in this guide.

Street addresses for sites in Corfu are not recognized by Google Maps. Churches, musuems, and businesseslist a street address on their websites. When enter that address in Google maps, you'll find that Google does notrecognize the address and can't find that location.

The common practise in Corfu is to describe locations of sites relative to well known buildings, squares,monuments, or geographical features.

• The Holy Trinity Church website describes it's location as: “We are located behind the Old IonianParliament building in Zambeli Street which is behind the Orpheas Cinema, Aspioti Street and along theroad from the Bella Venetsia Hotel.”

• Entrance to the New Fortress is described as: “Proceed across the Spilia Square and turn right onSolomos Street. The Church of Tenedos will be on your right as you climb the cobbled steps.”

• Yannis Olive Wood Workshop website describes their location as: “We are in the centre of CorfuIsland on the main road from Corfu Town to Paleokastritsa, exactly at the 14th km. You will see oursign on the left that shows our wood carving workshop. Our building is pink.”

• The Synagogue location is described as: “At the Old Port Square, you will see the New Fortress andbeyond this is the new cruise ship port. Off to the left of the square is a large gateway, the remains ofthe 16th-century Porta Spilia. Go through it to get to the Plateia Solomou. Turn left onto Velissariou.As you walk along the street, look on the right for the green doors of the 300-year-old synagogue.”

GPS coordinates are the best/easiest way to locate tourist sites in Corfu.

GPS coordinates are an easy, and precise way to pinpoint locations on Google maps. I have listed GPScoordinates for popular locations in Old Town and many other areas on the island in this port guide.

Open this guide in one window on your computer and open Google Maps in a second window. Copy and pastethe GPS coordinates into Google maps. Magnify the map scale, zooming in, to see the buildings, roads, sea,etc. in satellite view maps. Enter a series of GPS coordinates into Google map “Get Directions”. Click on thewalking man icon, and you'll see a walking route with distance and travel time. Note: there are usually multiplewalking routes, Google just shows one. GPS coordinates can be used with any Google or Bing map formatsuch as “map”, “satellite”, “earth”, and “terrain” to see detailed views of the location at any map scale.

These coordinates can also be used in hand-held or vehicle GPS devices. Note that these devices can acceptdifferent formats. It's important to set your device to accept data in this format:

Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds shown as N ddd° mm' ss.ss”, W ddd° mm' ss.ss”



Sites near the New Fortress – GPS Coordinates

A Enter Old Town N 39° 37' 31.60", E 19° 55' 7.02"

B New Fortress (St Mark) Entrance N 39° 37' 28.78", E 19° 55' 2.35"

C Scuola Greca Synagogue in Corfu City N 39° 37' 26.65", E 19° 55' 9.44"

D Marks & Spencer N 39°37′21.9″, E 19°55′11.4″

E Farmers Market N 39°37′23.4″, E 19°55′04.3″



New Fortress (St Mark – San Marco) The official name is St Mark (San Marco); the common name is New Fortress. It was completed in 1645 by theVenetians and subsequently occupied and modified by the French, and then the British. It offers impressiveviews of the old harbor and the town. The fortress is open daily 8:30 to 19:00. Admission ~ 4 Euros.

Before climbing to the top of the New Fortress, view photos of the ramps, walkways, etc., to understand thismassive structure. See http://www.in-corfu.com/historic/new_fortress.html

I have shown the entrance near the Old Port Square as point B on the map on the previous pageGPS = N 39° 37' 28.78", E 19° 55' 2.35".There is another entrance uphill from the fish and vegetable (Farmers Market). You will see the official emblemof Venice, the winged lion of St Mark, near the gate entrances.

Scuola Greca Synagogue GPS = N 39° 37' 26.65", E 19° 55' 9.44"

http://esefarad.com/?p=30669 The synagogue is open daily 10 to 4

Green doors of Synagogue – photo at right.

The Jewish District of Old Town is outlined with yellow lines on the map on theprevious page.

Marks & Spencer GPS = N 39°37′21.9″, E 19°55′11.4″

This is a major UK department store. The Brits love it. Captain Yeomen's of theRuby Princess told us that he had to stop at Marks and Spencer every time his shipwas in Corfu.

Farmers Market GPS = N 39°37′23.4″, E 19°55′04.3″

The Farmers Market is located next to the New Fortress. It has a beautiful display offresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, and a large selection of fresh fish. You can also purchase prepared foods andexcellent fresh brewed coffee. The market is open every day 6:30 to noon, except Sunday.

Tenedos Church - Our Lady of Mount Carmel GPS = N 39°37′29.4″, E 19°55′04.7″

The old churches in Corfu have been occupied by different groups. Tenedos Church was originally used as aCatholic Monastery by the Tenedos Monks. When the Ottomans occupied the church, they brought the Icon ofthe Virgin Mary.

View of Corfu from Cruise Ship Dock (photo below)

This picture was taken looking to the Southwest from the cruise ship.

The tower above St Spyridon Church is an excellent landmark when walking around Old Town.



http://esefarad.com/?p=30669

http://www.in-corfu.com/historic/new_fortress.html

Street Map of Old Town (this is the free tourist map from the cruise terminal tourist office)I have marked up this map to show locatiion of 10 churches, 7 museums, and 12 stores.



Churches in Old Town (Shown as C1, C2, C3 - - - on the map on the previous page)

There are over thirty churches in Old Town. They have a lot of history and have been rebuilt over the ages.Many churches have been occupied by different religious groups over the centuries and the name of the churchhas changed to reflect the latest religious group. Terminology can be confusing because one church can becalled by many names. I've listed alternate names to help clear up the confusion.

Most churches are small. Many of them contain beautiful wood carvings, painted ceilings, marble, and preciousreligious icon paintings.

BEFORE you visit Old Town, check this website for spectacular 360o videos of Old Town churcheshttp://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/57/69/lang,en/

This website provides a Virtual exploration of the Churches of the City of Corfu, Greece. It was developed as part of the "Digital Presentation of Byzantine Churches in Corfu" to promote the religious culture. With this website you can virtually visit a number of Churches at Corfu, giving the user the opportunity to explore the architecture and interior contents in a way that is similar to being there.

Enjoy your Virtual tour to Corfu Churches

I have included some photos from this website to showcase some the most beautiful churches to help you planyour walking tour of Old Town.

C1 Tenedos Church - Our Lady of Mount Carmel GPS = N 39°37′29.4″, E 19°55′04.7″

Tenedos Church was established as a Catholic Monastery by Monks who fled invasion of the island of TenedosIsland by the Turks and brought the Icon of the Virgin Mary with them to Corfu.

C2 There are two churches at location C2 on the map

C2 Monastery of San Franceso di Assisi GPS = N 39°37′31.4, E 19°55′12.9″

It's one of the oldest (~ 13th C) and most important monasteries from an historical perspective. The monasterywas first used by nuns, then by monks. It was the first public school in a monastery in the late 1700s and wasused as a temporary Cathedral until reconstruction of the Cathedral after WW II.

C2 Saint Antonios and Saint Andreas GPS = N 39° 37' 30.90", E 19° 55' 11.36"

The holy Temple of Saint Antonios and Saint Andreaswas rebuilt in 1753 in place of an older temple, whichpossibly was first built in the 15th century. Historicallyit is identified with the church in which the emperorIoannis Palaiologos functioned when he visited Kerkyraas an intermediary stop in his travel to Florence in1439, in order to resolve the matter concerning theunion of the two churches.

The church belongs to the ecclesiastical Eptanesianbasilica one-aisle type and a characteristic element isthat it is covered with groined-vaults. In the interior ofthe temple, the marble chancel screen is significant. Itwas created by the architect Alexandros Trivolis –Pierris, roughly twenty years after the reconstruction ofthe temple. See http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/60/72/



http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/60/72/

http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/57/69/lang,en/

C3 Church of Sts Pateres (Fathers) and Arsenios GPS = N 39°37′27.9″, E 19°55′14.3″

This church was built in the 15th century for refugees. The interior has stone sculptured heads.

C4 AG Theodora Church GPS = N 39°37′33.00″, E 19°55′16.26″

This church is known by many names. The most common names are:“Orthodox Cathedral”, “Metropolitan Church of Hyperagia Theotokos Spileotissa” i. e. “Corfu Metropolitan Church”, and “Panagia (Virgin Mary) Spilaiotissa”.

This is a must-visit church, photo below see http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/54/66/lang,en/

The church is dedicated to three saints; namely, Panagia (Virgin Mary) Spileotissa, St. Vlasios, and St.Theodora. It was built in 1577 and became the Cathedral of Corfu in 1841. Subsequently, the icon of VirginMary Dimosiana and the relic of Agia Theodora were moved here.

The church is richly decorated. Relics of St. Theodora are in a silver shrine. Theodora was Empress of theByzantine Empire and influential with the church. She restored the importance of the icons. The GreekOrthodox Church celebrates the Procession of the Holy Icons the first Sunday of Lent.

C5 There are two churches a short distance apart at point C5 on the map

C5 Panagia (Virgin Mary) Kremasti GPS = N 39°37′35.3″, E 19°55′18.8″

Built in 16th century, only one of the walls has been preserved.

C5 Pantokratoras GPS = N 39° 37' 35.30", E 19° 55' 22.66"

The church is noted for the carved angel on the roof.

C6 St. Nicholas of Elders (Agios Nikolaos dei Vecchi) Church GPS = N 39°37′32.6″, E 19°55′21″

Also called “San Nicolo dei Vecchi” see http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/55/67/

The Holy Temple of Saint Nikolaos of Geronton, San Nicolo dei Vecchi, was built in the beginning of the16th century. The building complex of the temple also includes the priest’s residence in its northern side. It was one of the richest churches of Kampielo, the catherdral of the Great Fathers up to year 1712, and in 1916 it was granted to the Serbs.Some very impressive elements in the interior of temple are the sanctuary’s wooden crafted chancel screen and the Pulpit.,





St. Nicholas of Elders (Agios Nikolaos dei Vecchi) Church interior (photo below)

C7 St Spyridon Church GPS = N 39°37′30.5″, E 19°55′21.5″

For great photos and and a description of the church, see, http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/58/70/lang,en/

Saint Spyridon, Patron Saint of Corfu Island, ishonored by both Eastern and Western Christians. Hewas a shepherd in Cyprus, married, and had adaughter.

When his wife died, he entered a monastery and hisdaughter became a nun. It is believed that he expelledthe plague from Corfu and played a key role indefeating the Turks by appearing as a monk with a littorch threatening the invaders and instilling fear/panic.

The church contains relics and a silver sarcophagus. Itis a magnificent church with marble, icons, a paintedceiling (photo at right), etc.

The tower rises high above the city and can be seenfrom almost anywhere in Corfu Town. The churchtower is an important landmark to find your wayaround Old Town.




C8 There are two churches on opposite sides of the street at C8 on the map

C8 Church of Virgin Mary of Xenon for Foreigners GPS = N 39°37′28.2″, E 19°55′22.1″Also called “Panagia of Xenon – Faneromeni”

The holy Temple of Yperagia Theotokos (Virgin Mary) of Xenon was built by the priest Nicodemos, who was from Epirus and wanted to build the church for the refugees from Epirus, who came to Kerkyra after the persecutions during the Ottoman domination. For excellent photos, see http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/59/71/lang,en/

The photo at left is from this website.

C8 Church of Saint John the Precursor, John the Baptist (Agios Ioannis o Prodromos)Also called “St. Ioannis Prodromos (the Precursor)”

This church was funded by wealthy families in the 15th century. The church has beautiful marble, painting, icons, fescoes, and contains a shrine with relics.

Photo of St John the Precursor Church (below)

C9 Cathedral (Duomo) Sts. Jacob & Christopher GPS = N 39°37′24.8″, E 19°55′21.3″

The Catholic Cathedral dates back to 1364. It was severely damaged by bombing in WWII and rebuilt in 1970. It is located next to Town Hall Square.

C10 Holy Trinity Church GPS = N 39° 37' 18.18", E 19° 55' 19.24"

Holy Trinity Church was established in 1864. It' an Anglican church that welcomes all denominations.

Museums & Important Buildings in Old Town (Shown as M1, M2, M3 - - - on the map)

M1 Byzantine Museum (Panagia Antivouniotissa) GPS = N 39°37′37.9″, E 19°55′21.2″

The museum is at the site of Panagia Antivouniotissa a 15 th Century Church, the oldest church in Corfu. Themuseum displays several religious icons. Hours are 8:30-15:00 Tues-Sunday. Admission ~ 4 euros.




M2 Kapodistrian House GPS = N 39°37′36.5″, E 19°55′27.8″

Ioannia Kapodistrias was an important and successful minister of state and ambassador playing a key role in:• Peacefully uniting the Ionian Islands after Russia and the Ottoman Empire drove out the French,• Securing unity, independence and neutrality for Switzerland, freeing the country from Napoleon's led

French dominance. The museum displays personal effects, portraits, and furniture of Ioannia Kapodistrias. Hours are 10:30 am to 2 pm. The museum is is closed on Monday.

M3 Ionian Academy University GPS = N 39°37′33.1″, E 19°55′27.3″

This building dates back to 1824 as the first Greek University in Corfu.

M4 Ioniki Bank Banknote Numismatic Museum GPS = N 39° 37' 28.47", E 19° 55' 20.91" http://www.greek-coins.net/banknotes-museum-corfu/

The Banknote Museum has one of the most extensive collections of coins in the world. The collection includesover 10,000 coins from the entire ancient world and a complete collection of Greek banknotes. It is located atthe Ionian Bank on the Cypriot Battle (Iroon) Square, a few blocks South of St Spyridon Church. Hours are10:00-14:00 Monday-Saturday. Admission is free.

M5 Town Hall GPS = N 39°37'25", E 19°55'19"This impressive building was originally designed as a theater. Today, it is the Town Hall.

M6 Conservatory GPS = N 39°37′20.6″, E 19°55′24.4″ The conservatory of Corfu is second for importance only to Athens. There are different schools for singing, composition, wind instruments, string instruments, ecclesiastical Byzantine music, etc.

M7 Serbian Museum GPS = N 39°37′19.6″, E 19°55′19.8″Exhibits include displays of the lives of Serbian residents and their role in the military.

Make Your Own Walking Tour Maps

Microsoft Bing has very good street maps of Old Town Corfu. By comparison, the Google streetmaps are lousy.

Make your own street maps by entering GPS coordinates for places you wish to visit into “Get Directions” and checking on the walking man icon. Enlarge the map to read the level of street detail (names) you wish.

This map shows the walking route from Old Port Square to two of the “must visit” churches in Old Town.

Old Port Square Bus Stop N 39° 37' 34.60", E 19° 55' 10.27"

AG Theodora Church (Metropolitan Church) N 39°37′33.00″, E 19°55′16.26″

St Spyridon Church N 39°37′30.5″, E 19°55′21.5″



http://www.greek-coins.net/banknotes-museum-corfu/

Shopping in Old TownI have shown 12 stores in Old Town as “S1, S2, S3, etc.” on the map on page 7 of this port guide.

Old Town Corfu is packed with shops along the streets and squares selling:• jewelry, including locally made one-of-a-kind, • olive wood products - bowls, cutting boards, candlesticks, statues, etc,• religious icons, stone sculptures, • hand made dolls in traditional Greek costume, • hand made needlework, embroidery, floral bedspreads, tablecloths, silk shawls, textile purses, • clothes, leather, furs,• paintings, artwork, sculptures, antiques,• ceramics for daily use and hand made ancient design ceramics,• Greek wine, liquors, deserts, chocolate, caramelized almonds, honey bars, and more !!!

S1 Pianegonda Italian jewelry designed by Franco Pianegonda. (3 Agion Panton, 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S2 Stella Ceramics, religious icons, stone sculptures, and handmade dolls in traditional costume (62 Kapodistriou, 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S3 Triton Fine JewelryPart of an International Chain of Jewelry Shops in Spain and Greece offering some of the finest jewelry of the island of Corfu, exquisite collections of ancient Greek and Byzantine jewelry, large selection of the latest fashionable pieces, set with diamonds and precious stones, official retailers of Breitling and TAG Heuer watches (17 Kapodistriou, 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S4 AnticaStanding out from the many standard souvenir-gift shops, Antica offers unusual older jewelry, plates, textiles, brass, icons, pottery, and paintings of scenes in Corfu. (25 Agiou Spyridonos, 491 00 Corfu, Greece),

S5 Mironis Olive Wood Bowls, sculptures, wooden jewelry, and much more! You can view manufacture of small items in the shop. https://www.facebook.com/Mironis (65 Agiou Spyridonos, 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S6A/B Fur and Leather FactoriesFur and leather factory working with the highest quality of Italian leathers and Scandinavian furs, boutique items at factory prices. (14 Filarmonikis, 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S7 Terracotta Hand-crafted work by local artisans, one-of-a-kind pieces of Greek jewelry, ceramics, and small sculptures. (2 Filarmonikis, Corfu Greece)

S8 Leather ForumExclusive Brands: Versus, Missoni, Just Cavalli, GF Ferre, Longchamp, Moschino, Coccinelle, Lancel, Tommy Hilfiger and Francesco Biasia. A large selection of wallets, designer purses, gloves, bags, belts, and luggage.(31Theotoki N., 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S9 Gold StarWide assortment of Greek gold jewelry - rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings all in gold.



https://www.facebook.com/Mironis

S10 Corfu StarSpecializing in high quality and fine workmanship 14K, 18K and 22K gold, modern and ancient Greek, jewelry including “Line of Life” and “Reversible Eternity” collections. (81 Theotoki N., 491 00 Corfu)

S11 Gravures A fine selection of engravings and prints of scenes from Corfu ( Ev. 64 Voulgareos Evg., 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

S12 Nikos Sculpture and Jewellery Nikos Michalopoulos creates original gold and silver jewelry and sculptures in cast bronze. http://www.nikosjewellery.com/ (54 Theotoki N., 49100 Corfu, Greece)

S13 Rolandos Visit the talented artist Rolando and watch him at work on his paintings and handmade pottery. paintings, hand crafted ancient ceramics, and ceramics for everyday use. (99 N. Theotoki , 491 00 Corfu, Greece)

Liston - Old Fortress Area (Google satellite view)

Liston to the Old Fortress is the most scenic area around Old Town. It has impressive architecture, expansiveparks, beautiful gardens, the Royal Palace of Sts Michael & George, the Museum of Asian Art, the massive OldFortress, etc. This is the place to take postcard photos, shop at high end stores/boutiques, and have lunch at oneof the many excellent restaurants. It's a must visit area.

Museum of Asian Art GPS = N 39°37′33.2″, E 19°55′29.4″ http://www.matk.gr/

The Museum of Asian Art is inside the Royal Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George. The exhibit includes



http://www.matk.gr/

http://www.nikosjewellery.com/

over ten thousand artifacts from Japan (silks, masks, Samurai armor, etc), China (Ming dynasty, jade, statues,statues, etc.), India (wood and bronze sculptures), and objects from Korea and Tibet.

Hours are 8.30am - 3pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is 4 euros.

Municipal Art Gallery of Corfu GPS = N 39°37′33.2″, E 19°55′29.4″ Located on the eastern side of the palace, the exhibit features many icons and work or Corfu painters. It alsohas a seafront cafe. It is open Tuesday – Sunday 08:30 -15:00. I believe admission is free.

Royal Palace of St Michael & George GPS = N 39°37′32.9″, E 19°55′29.3″

Located at the northern end of Spianada Square, the Palace has an impressive facade with stone columns and it is surrounded by beautiful gardens. The Palace was built by the British in the early 1800s.

Church of Virgin Mary Mandrakina GPS = N 39°37′30.2″, E 19°55′32.3″

The church was built in the 18th century. For a virtual tour, see http://www.corfuchurches.com/content/view/61/73/

Liston GPS = N 39°37′28.2″, E 19°55′25.9″

During the French occupancy, the buildings in Liston were constructed for exclusive use by the aristocrats. Theimpressive arcades remain, but today, the occupants are restaurants and high-end shops.

Cruise ship shuttle bus stop GPS = N 39° 37' 24.40", E 19° 55' 30.04"If your cruise ship offers a shuttle bus to Old Town Corfu, it will most likely stop at the square in Esplanade-Spianada as shown on the map on the previous page. The public bus from the cruise terminal building to OldTown drops passengers off at the Old Port Square as discussed previously in this port guide.

Old Fortress Entrance GPS = N 39°37′24.7″, E 19°55′36″

After Corfu was destroyed by invaders in the 6th Century, a centuries-long construction began to defend the city.The Old Fortress was built on a peninsula East of the town. The Venetians dug a moat turning it into an islandand continued to improve the fortress. There are two impressive bastions. The British made additionalimprovements to the fortress and constructed St George Chapel.

The Old Fortress provides excellent views of the town and Ionian Sea. It is open daily May-October 9:00 to21:00 Tues-Friday. On Sat-Sun it closes at 15:00. Admission ~ 4 Euros.




Photo of Old Fortress from the South

St George Church/Chapel GPS = N 39°37′21.5″, E 19°55′45.6″

Exploring Corfu Old Town – Comments by David & Adrienne Elgie

If your cruise ship doesn’t provide a shuttle bus to OldTown, the public bus is an excellent alternative.Check at the Tourist Desk in the cruise terminal todetermine when the buses are running and where thebus will be located in the parking lot.

In our case, we exited the port terminal building andwalked past the taxis for the bus to Old Town. Costwas 1.5 euro one way and the ride was about 10minutes.

Exit the bus at the Old Port Square. There is a blacksign that shows directions to Old Town, Royal Palace,Jewish Synagogue, and Orthodox Cathedral.

The twisted streets of old town are charming. Thereare many unique churches. St. Spyridon Church stoodout as a landmark to orient us while walking in OldTown (photo left).

With Tom’s Port Guide map in hand, we easilynavigated the town. Shops line the streets. Thecobblestone streets are wide. My wife loves to shopand was very pleased with the selection anduniqueness of goods. We purchased olive woodproducts, and my wife purchased a dress. The shopkeepers were honest and attentive; prices seemed fair.



We went to the Royal Palace of St Michael & St George. Thebuilding is beautiful. See the walkway photo at right.

Ceiling in the palace (photo at left below)

We visited the Museum ofAsian Art (photo belowleft). It's impressive and the admission is only 3 euros. Then wewalked through the garden. It's lovely and was cool, on the oceanside, on a hot day.

If you plan to visit the Old Fortress, go in the morning to avoid theafternoon heat. Admission is 4 euros.

Exploring the Old Fortress requires walking on uneven surfaces.Wear comfortable walking/climbing shoes.

The climb up to the lighthouse has many stairs and shiny cobblestone. In places, the cobblestone was slippery,even on a dry, hot day. The view from ground level on the south side of the Old Fortress facing east is shown inthe photo above right. You could stay on the ground level of Old Fortress to avoid the climb to the lighthouse,but views from the top are amazing. See photo on next page.



The view from the lighthouse is worth the climb (photo below)

Maitland Mounument (photo above)

Lighthouse at Old Fortress (photo at right)



Pavillion (photo below)

A stop for lunch and a drink or two is a must around Liston. There are many cafes to choose from. Wefound the service at the cafe to be good. Most cafes have free WiFi; you may need to ask for the password.

Once you visit Corfu Old Town, you will see why it is named a World Heritage Site.

David & Adrienne Elgie

Sailing Along the Northeast Coast of Corfu - Comments by Sharon Sumliner

By far, the most relaxed way to enjoy Corfu’s magnificent scenery is by boat. Nautilus, meaning seafarer, is a beautifully designed 14-metre motor yacht. We offer mini-cruises, including swimming and fresh fish BBQs on deserted beaches, voyages along Corfu's beautiful northeast coast, and both daytime and eveningboat trips to Corfu Town. The yacht is also ideal for private parties with up to 30 guests. www.dailycruisescorfu.com

My friends and I like to sail in beautifulareas and there are none better thanGreece. I made all the arrangements forthis fabulous excursion from the US byemail. My contact was the captain's wife,Vanessa Wrench. She was great to workwith. Her email is [email protected]

They offer public sails, but nothing wasreserved for that day, so we opted for theprivate sail and had the spacious yacht forour party of six people. The price for the private sail was 590 euros, including everything. Our cost was ~ 100euros/person. I believe the public sail is less expensive.

Our cruise ship docked at 9:00. We had arranged to meet at 10:00. In hindsight, we could have met earlier asour ship was a small one with only 680 passengers so disembarking was very easy and quick. We asked to bedropped back at the port by 4-4:30 because our ship's departure time was 5:00.

Captain Iakis could not have been more accommodating. He confirmed that we would be back at the cruise shipon time. There was no anxiety on our part of being left behind! The captain was very personable.



mailto:[email protected]

http://www.dailycruisescorfu.com/

We were picked up outside the Port Terminal, less than a 3-minute walk. Vanessa had provided a map that wasvery helpful, along with her's and the captain's mobile phone numbers, in case we needed them.

We sailed up thenortheast coast and madetwo stops for swimmingand snorkeling. Theyprovided snorkelequipment - masks andsnorkels.

There was ample seatingon both the lower deckand up on the sun deck.There's also an area ofshade for those whoprefer not to be in thesun all day.

A great bathroom madethe day complete.

The captain was veryaccommodating for anydietary restrictions andprovided accordingly.

He prepared a barbequelunch (pork, chicken andfish), along with grilled cheeses, grilled vegetables and a lovely green salad. Wine, both red and white, wasincluded and served.

This company is family owned. They were extremely responsive on emails prior to our arrival in Corfu,and the service we received was top-notch. Captain Iakis and Vanessa really made our second visit toCorfu memorable. A private sail on Nautilus is a great way for friends to enjoy a fantastic excursion!I highly recommend it. See www.dailycruisescorfu.com.

Sharon Sumliner



http://www.dailycruisescorfu.com/

Public BusesCorfu Island has two bus lines:

• The Corfu City “Blue” bus serves Corfu Town and the suburban area. • The inter-city, long-distance, KTEL “Green” bus serves the entire island of Corfu.

Corfu City “Blue” BusesCorfu Local (Blue) Bus website = http://www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr/Download the leaflet from http://www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr/img/leaflet_full.pdfThis leaflet is outstanding! I've included maps from it in this port guide.

Purchase tickets before boarding the bus from outlets near the bus stops (Vending machines, Stathmarcheio, Kiosks, etc.). Tickets purchased on the bus are a higher price. A round trip ticket is recommended. 2013 ticket prices were Zone rate 1.50 euros, Normal 1.10 euros.

Line 16 runs between the cruise ship terminal parking lot and the Old Port Square. I've read that when ships arein port, several of the bus lines also run this route to handle the high passenger volume.

The main station for the Corfu City Blue Bus is at San Rocco Square in Corfu Town.

There are several city bus lines/routes. 2a Upper Square (Liston) – Cannon Pontikonissi Photograph the monastery & “Mouse Island”2b San Rocco - Port – Kefalomandouko4 River - Evropouli5 Kynopiastes - Kouramades6 Benitses A fishing village with beautiful beaches7 Dasia – Height A tourist resort8 Agios Ioannis – Afra One of the largest water parks in Europe10 Achillion A gorgeous palace with beautiful gardens11 Pelekas A traditional village on a hill overlooking the entire island14 Channels - Kompitsi15 Airport - San Rocco Square (Center)-Port16 Port – Cave New Port cruise ship terminal to Old Port Square

Download the bus schedule (in Greek) from http://www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr/data.php?cat=40407

I have not included the bus schedule in this port guide because it is subject to change. However, I have includedmaps from the leaflet to describe the bus routes.



http://www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr/data.php?cat=40407

http://www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr/img/leaflet_full.pdf

http://www.astikoktelkerkyras.gr/

Colrfu City Blue Bus Route Map (top section of map)



Corfu City Blue Bus Route Map (bottom section of map)



Corfu City “Blue” Bus Service to Suburbs of Corfu Town

The inter-city KTEL “Green” bus service connects Corfu Town with locations throughout the island including the most remote villages. The website is http://www.ktelkerkyras.gr/?module=default&pages_id=5&lang=elI've read that this bus does not wait if it arrives at the stop early, so it is advisable to be at the bus stop at least 10minutes before the scheduled time.

Download the schedule from http://www.ktelkerkyras.gr/?module=default&pages_id=7&lang=el



http://www.ktelkerkyras.gr/?module=default&pages_id=7&lang=el

http://www.ktelkerkyras.gr/?module=default&pages_id=5&lang=el

Renting a Car in Corfu Rental cars are inexpensive, especially if you share the car or van with 4 or 6 people. I asked several people onour ship where they drove and how they felt about their rental car experience.

A family traveling with children told me the ship's excursions can be cost prohibitive for a family. Renting a caris inexpensive and gives them flexibility to explore the area near Corfu Town. They loved it.

A young couple said they buy books of road maps and research where they will drive. They were confident todrive north of Corfu Town to beaches and the Monastery of the Virgin Mary. Even though they got lost a fewtimes, they enjoyed the car rental.

In 2010, we were on the Crown Princess with our good friends Carol and Bob Mills. They frequently rent carsat ports in Greece and Italy. Bob gets an International Drivers Permit from AAA for $24 because it is requiredin some countries e. g., Italy. The international permit is good for one year; the start date can be any day youspecify. Bob also buys maps for his GPS for Greece and Italy ($ 100).

Carol booked a Fiat Multiplus 6 pax car for 90 Euros with Corfu Sunrise Rent A Car. The van was shared by 6people (3-front, 3-rear). The plan was to drive to a general area, not to follow a precise route, exploring thesites and knowing the GPS will get them back. Carol said, “We headed out of the port into the country stoppingat interesting places along the way toward Paleokastritsa. I would have loved to have seen more historicalsights, but we opted to just see more of the island by driving around. It was fun. We had a blast!!

At the time the Mills rented a car, my wife and I joined a couple who had scheduled a 4-hour Corfu Taxi tour ofsites outside of Corfu Town. The tour was fantastic!

In 2013, we were on the Ruby Princess. Gene Pearce sent me an email re Corfu Taxi; I recommended CorfuTaxi and suggested Vangelis as the driver. Gene took a taxi tour. I rented a van to drive part of the route of our2010 taxi tour. I bought GPS Maps ($ 100) and an International Drivers Permit ($ 24). I was confident therewould be no problems; I was carrying my GPS with programmed with all the stops. I had a plan.

I booked a 7-pax van with Corfu Sunrise Rent A [email protected] a month before our cruise. Costwas 99 euros plus 18 euros gas. For 6 people, that's about ~20 euros or $ 27 USD/person.

It's a 9-minute, 750 meter walk from the Cruise Terminal tothe Corfu Sunrise Rent A Car office (map at right). Usethese coordinates to plot the map:Cruise terminal = N 39° 37' 44.53", E 19° 54' 3.92"Port gate = N 39° 37' 37.12", E 19° 54' 14.12" Rental office = N 39° 37' 41.52", E 19° 54' 2.06"

It took about 20-minutes to rent the van because of thenumber of people in line. We got a beautiful, huge,Mercedes van with a manual transmission.

It was easy to navigate the main road toward Paleokastritsa. However, the road became narrow when we leftthe main road and headed north into the mountains. At some intersections, there were multiple roads and itwasn't clear, even with the GPS, which road to take. There were no signs I could read, and I made some wrongturns. I found myself mumbling, “This can't be a 'real' road; it looks like a private drive to an olive grove.”

It took a long time, but we finally arrived at the mountain overlook of St George Bay. When leaving theoverlook, I had to turn around on the narrow mountain road. My wife was terrified (and I was uneasy) we'd slipover the cliff when I backed up the huge, manual transmission, Mercedes van on the narrow mountain road.

Our next stop was the Monastery of the Virgin Mary. There was no place to park. I drove around the lotseveral times and finally parked on the grass. I walked up the hill to the entrance. As I approached, the doorsclosed. We were told the monastery would be closed for prayers for at least an hour, so we left.




My next plan was to drive to Old Town Corfu thinking I could park so we could walk around the town. Trafficin the Old Town area was incredible. It was bumper to bumper scooters and cars with many pedestrians. Therewas no place to park, so we left. I stopped to fill the tank with gas and returned the van.

The van was fine, but the driving experience was very frustrating for all of us. It was NOT fun!

Corfu Taxi Tour http://www.corfutaxitours.com/ - comments by Gene Pearce

In 2013, we booked a private tour with Corfu Taxi Tours. I requested Vangelis Koulouris as our driver. The tour was awesome. We met Vangelis at the dock; he explained the various places and things we could do during the day and asked what we wanted to see and do. He wanted to make sure we were doing and seeingthings that we wanted during our time with him rather than taking us on a pre-planned tour of the island.

Several times during the day, he asked if we wanted to make any adjustments to our plan and provided options. He wanted to make sure that we were able to pick and choose how we spent our day with him.

What a day. He took us to places tour buses cannot go. We walked through tiny villages and olive groves. We stood on high points with incredible vistas. We walked along the beach and ate lunch along the crystal waters of the Bay of Paleokastritsa.

If you want to do a "canned" tour with a crowd, take the bus tours. If you want to spend the day doing whatmakes you happy, book with Corfu Taxi Tours.

Gene Pearce

Comparison of my Corfu Taxi Tour in 2010 Vs. my Car/van Rental in 2013

• The taxi tour is more expensive than car rental, but lower cost than a ship's excursion. Cost is around 200 euros, plus tip, for a four or five hour tour. That's 100 euros/person with 2 people. In 2010, we shared a taxi, with 4 people = 50 euros/person

• The taxi tour is very time efficient. In 2010, Vangelis picked us up early at the cruise terminal. We wentto St George Bay, spent half an hour at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary, walked the beach in Paleokastritsa, stopped for coffee at a restaurant with breathtaking views, stopped for photos of Angelokastro, made various stops for views and photos of scenic areas including flowers along the mountain roads, spent half an hour at Achilleion Palace, and returned to Corfu Old Town with time to walk the streets, shop, and take a bus back to the ship. That's a lot to see and do in one day!!!

• The taxi tour is zero stress. Unlike driving a rental car, you don't have to watch the road, worry about which way to turn, or find a place to park. Spend your time enjoying the beautiful views and discover places you would never find on your own.

• The taxi drops you off beside the tourist site eliminating unnecessary walking and climbing! The ship's excursion buses and rental cars park in the lot; you have to walk uphill to many tourist sites.

• Taxis can travel the narrow roads taking you to places buses can't travel. The taxi can also make photo stops at a roadside. Buses rarely stop for photos; it takes 20 minutes for people to get off the bus.

• The taxi tour is tailored specifically to your interests. Go where you want and spend time as you choose. There are many possibilities.

• We were lucky to have Vangelis Koulouris as our driver. He is passionate about, and teaches, photography. He knows where all the postcard photo spots are. The next time I visit Corfu, I'd like to join a few people who love photography and book a photo-shoot tour with Vangelis as our driver. Imagine the possibilities – touring the breathtakingly beautiful island of Corfu with Vangelis planning the stops for our postcard photos. WOW!!!



http://www.corfutaxitours.com/

NOTE: This is from my web-page http://www.tomsportguides.com/mediterranean-cruises.html where I describe “Special Experiences”, my most memorable, favorite things to see and do on Mediterranean cruises.

A Private “Photo Shoot” of a Beautiful Island on Your Shore Excursion!

Corfu Greece is a gorgeous, “picture perfect” island. Boukari Beach photo above by Vangelis Koulouris.

Luckily, there is a tour guide, Vangelis Koulouris, who is a professional photographer. He's photographed everysquare inch of Corfu from the air and land. His impressive resume includes an aerial video of Corfu for the PortAuthority. See Corfu the Garden of Gods It’s a testimonial to Vangelis’s incredible artistic talent.

Imagine the possibilities for a “photo shoot” on your private tour of Corfu. Vangelis will help you "see the island though a photographer's eye" with tips on where, and how, to take postcard photos.

Corfu tour companies and guides have similar names. To get Vangelis as your driver/guide, book a tour with Spiros Kritikos, owner of Corfu Taxi Tours at http://www.corfutaxitours.com/ and ask for Vangelis, the professional photographer.

“Vangelis Koulouris and Spiros Kritikos are 5-star rated for their customer focus and ability to provide tours that memories are made of. I highly recommend them.”

Tom Sheridan



http://www.corfutaxitours.com/

https://vimeo.com/158710040

http://www.tomsportguides.com/mediterranean-cruises.html

Tourist Sites SOUTH of Corfu Town

Mon-Repos PalaceGPS = N 39°36′22.7″, E 19°55′34.1″

Mon-Repos Palace was built in the early 1800's. It has been used by Britishdignitaries, governors, and is the birthplace of Prince Phillip, Duke ofEdinburgh. It is located on top of a hill believed to be the original site of theancient city of Corfu.

The palace is in a 250-acre park with tree-lined paths. It's a great place to havea relaxing walk, and dogs are permitted in the park. Exhibits in the palaceinclude works of art, furniture, clothing, Byzantine remains, and artifacts.

Hours are 8:30– 15:00, Tuesday-Sunday. Admission is free.

Vlacherna Monastery Corfu City Blue Bus #2a stops in this area.GPS = N 39°35′24.2″, E 19°55′01.9″

The Vlacherna women's monastery has an iconic, white chapel dating back to1685. It's open to the public.

Mouse Island GPS = N 39°35′11.1″, E 19°55′03.9″

Mouse (Pontikonisi) Island is a tiny, uninhabited island. It used to be the sitefor Pantokrator monastery with white marble stairs ascending the hill. Viewedfrom a distance, the white staircase stands out among the trees and appears tobe the “tail” of a mouse, hence the name “mouse island”.

Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island are popular with photographers. (photo below)



Achilleion Palace N 39°33′45.7″, E 19°54′15.4″

For details and a virtual tour, see http://www.achillion-corfu.gr/default_en.html

The palace was built for Empress Elizabeth of Austria. It is a beautiful building with a very impressive interior,decorations, artwork, and gorgeous formal gardens.

It's 10 km south of Corfu Town. Corfu City Blue Bus #10 goes to “Achilleion” also spelled as “Achillion”.

Photos of Achilleion Palace

Formal Gardens - Achilleion Palace

We spent about half an hour at the palace. I highly recommend visiting it.

Finding a parking spot can be a problem, but we were on a taxitour; our driver waited for us at the entrance gate.

Hours are 08:00-17:00 during the summer.It's less crowded in the afternoon.Adult admission is 8 Euros.



http://www.achillion-corfu.gr/default_en.html

Corfu City “Blue” Bus Routes to the SOUTH

Bus #2a Pontikonisi near the hill of Kanoni to view Vlacherna Monastery &Mouse Island

Bus #10 Achilleion Palace

Bus # 11 Pelekas Pelekas is the village that has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for sandy beaches and tavernas fringed by timeless olive groves; water-sports and nightlife; traditional food and drink; budget or top class accommodation; you will always find a warm welcome in Pelekas. For more than 40 years Pelekas has been a favourite hideaway for independent holiday makers.

Kaiser's Throne in Pelekas GPS = N 39°35′41.7″, E 19°49′17.3″ At the northern edge of the village of Pelekas, there is a raised platform called “Kaiser's Throne” named after Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II. He used the observation platform for a panoramic view of the island, the beaches, and spectacular sunsets. View the area from the raised platform or the Sunset Restaurant and Kaiser's bar. See a virtual tour of Pelekas including the view from Kaiser's Throne at http://www.pelekas.com/index.html

Bus #8 Agios Ionnis, visit Aqualand, a huge water park GPS = N 39°37'02.5", E 19°50'14.8"

http://www.aqualand-corfu.com/

Aqualand is equipped with all kinds of water attractionsand has many facilities. It's surrounded by green forests. Atotal area of 75000 square meters makes this water oasispleasant and enjoyable even in the hottest days of thesummer. Relax under our beautiful maple trees or enjoy thethrill of our multislides. We cater to all your needs. That'swhy Aqualand is acknowledged as one of the bestwaterparks in Europe.



http://www.aqualand-corfu.com/

http://www.pelekas.com/index.html

Driving Route to Tourist Sites NORTH of the Corfu Cruise Terminal


Description GPS Coordinates

A Cruise Terminal N 39° 37' 44.53", E 19° 54' 3.92"

B Ceramics Workshop N 39° 40' 24.67", E 19° 48' 54.85"

C Olive Wood Workshop N 39°40'47.0", E 19°47'31.3"

D Taverna & Souvenirs N 39° 41' 24.17", E 19° 43' 20.47"

E St George Bay Overlook N 39° 42' 2.90", E 19° 41' 36.68"

Description GPS Coordinates

F Angelokastro N 39°40′42.7″, E 19°41′12.6″

G Golden Fox Complex N 39°40'44.4", E 19°41'53.2"

H Monastery of Virgin Mary N 39°40′10.3″, E 19°42′05.4″

I Paleokastritsa Beach N 39° 40' 18.70", E 19° 42' 7.08"

J Akrotiri Beach Hotel N 39°40′21.6″, E 19°42′57.1″


Google calculates the round-trip driving route from the ship as a 1 hour and 40 minute drive and a distance of64.5 km. That's probably true if you don't get lost. Based on my esperience, I'd recommend you avoid the drivethrough the narrow, winding, confusing roads going up the mountain to the St George Bay overlook.

The drive from the Cruise Terminal to Paleokastritsa and Lakones is fairly straightforward.

B Corfu Ceramics and Pottery Workshop is on the main road from Corfu Town toward Paleokastritsa. It's easy to find on the right side of the road, especially if you use a GPS with these coordinates N 39° 40' 24.67", E 19° 48' 54.85" . Website = http://www.corfuceramics.gr/default.htm

NOTE: The website has a video showing thedrive to the workshop because their streetaddress is not recognized by Google, theworld leader in electronic maps.

However, if you use my GPS coordinates inGoogle Maps you can see the location of theworkshop at the down-pointing green arrowon the map at right.

My GPS coordinates show the precise locationfor the Ceramics Workshop because Imeasured it, standing in front of the CeramicsWorkshop, in 2013.



http://www.corfuceramics.gr/default.htm

C Yannis Olive Wood Workshop GPS = N 39°40'47.0", E 19°47'31.3"

From the Ceramics Workshop, continue on the main road to Paleokastritsa 2.5 km to the Olive Wood Workshop on the left side on the road. This workshop has an impressive display of carvings.

Website = http://www.olivewood-art.com/html/english/about.htm



http://www.olivewood-art.com/html/english/about.htm

D Taverna & Souvenirs GPS = N 39° 41' 24.17", E 19° 43' 20.47"

I turned right from the road to Paleokastritsa and headed north to climb the mountains. At first, the road wasfine. It was like a “real” road. Then it became narrow and began to twist and turn, going up and down. Theintersections were confusing with many small roads joining at the same spot. This type of road intesection isnot permitted where I live in Central Pennsylvania .

Even though my Garmin GPS was pointing the way, I wasn't sure. I spotted a small Taverna on a side road(photo below). We stopped for directions, a drink, and to use the toilets.

There was a guide I had seen at the cruise port. He was leading a group of people on all terrain vehicles fromthe cruise port to the beach at St George Bay. I asked him how to find the overlook on the mountain road toview St George Bay.

His said, “There is no overlook, you have to go to the beach.” I said, “I know there is an overlook, I was therein 2010 on a taxi tour.” He sent me to talk to the owner of the taverna. The main said, “Go west on the roadfrom here, look for the radio towers high above the mountains, and drive to the towers.”

E St George Bay Overlook GPS = N 39° 42' 2.90", E 19° 41' 36.68"The man was right. After leaving the Taverna, I only made one wrong turn, recognized the error, and turnedabound. My passengers argued, “This can't be a road, we must be going the wrong way.” I forged on. Weactually were going the correct way, and finally found the overlook to St George Bay.



St George Bay

The mountain ranges in Albania are North andEast of Corfu Island. The scenic overlook for St George Bay(map above right) is high on a mountain ridge.This gives you an impressive view of the bay, the small islands, and the Albanian mountains.

Photo of bay from scenic outlook. Unfortunately, you can't clearly see the mountains of Albania in this photo.



F Angelokastro Castle of the Angels GPS = N 39°40′42.7″, E 19°41′12.6″

Historians debate whether it is wrongly named“Castle of the Angels” arguing it was named aftera man “Angleokastro”. But they do agree it wasone of the most important Byzantine militarycomplexes in Greece. It is located on the highestpeak on the shoreline of Corfu Island, an excellentvantage point to survey the Southern Adriatic.The castle is believed to date back to early 1200's.

The castle is near Paleokastritsa which means“old castle place” in Greek.

We stopped at the roadside to photograph it.Some tourists climb the steep path to the top toenjoy awesome views of the area.

G Golden Fox Complex GPS = N 39°40'44.4", E 19°41'53.2"

This is one the resorts with breathtaking views, a restaurant, and a souvenir shop with table linens, rugs, handcarved olive wood pieces, and other souvenirs. It is located in Lakones – Paleokastritsa. The Mills Party hadlunch at the restaurant. The website is http://www.corfugoldenfox.com/

H Monastery of Virgin Mary GPS = N 39°40′10.3″, E 19°42′05.4″

The Monastery in Paleokastritsa is dedicated to Panagia (Virgin Mary). Itdates back to the early 1200s. The location is high on a cliff overlookingthe sea. There are beautiful gardens, a church, and a bookstore/gift shop.The nuns feed the cats in the gardens. We spent a half hour at themonastery during our taxi tour in 2010.

One of the advantages of arriving in a cab is that the driver drops you off atthe top of the hill, next to the entrance, and waits for you. If you arrive in acar or bus, you park in the lot and walk up the hill. Also, based on my 2013experience, parking space is limited and you may have difficulty finding aplace to park. You could walk from the parking lot in town near the beach,but that's a long way uphill.

Entrance to the monastery (photo at right).



http://www.corfugoldenfox.com/

Monastery of Virgin Mary – the Church, a Russian cannon, and the Bell Tower (photos below)

One of the paintings (photo at left). My wife likes cats. She thought the gardens were “purr-fect” (photo below).



The monastery is a beautiful, peaceful, place to visit. The architecture and paintings are impressive, and thegardens are very relaxing. It's at the top of a hill with great views of the area.

Location of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary

The monastery is on the top of a hill at the far, west end of Paleokastritsa. Although I wouldn't do it, you canwalk from the beach parking lot up the hill to the Monastery of the Virgin Mary. Google estimates it is a 700meter (2275 feet) walk from the beach parking lot to the monastery. The elevation change is 100 feet. Walkingfrom the beach to the monastery is like walking 2275 feet to the top of a 10-story building. With her arthriticknees, my wife couldn't walk up that hill, and I wouldn't want to. There are parking areas near the top of thehill, but you still have to walk uphill a short distance. Taxis park right next to the monastery entrance.

There is a traffic light near point “A” on the map that controls vehicles for one-way, alternating between carsgoing up the hill, or coming down the hill.

The area near the beach is drop-dead gorgeous. See the photos on the next page.



I Paleokastritsa Beach GPS = N 39° 40' 18.70", E 19° 42' 7.08"

NOTE: There are about 40 beaches on Corfu Island. I believe there are four beaches in Paleokastritsa. Theseare photos of the main beach at the far west end of Paleokastritsa near the entrance to the Monastery of theVirgin Mary. This beach is described as the “most beautiful and popular” on Corfu Island.

View from the parking lot looking south (photo below)

View from the parking lot looking west (photo above left). There is a mini-market, the Agios Spiridonos church, and a restaurant on the south side of the beach parking lot (photo above right).



The village of Paleokastritsa is 2.8 Km (1.7 miles) from west to east. I have outlined the borders of the village with yellow lines on the map below. The beaches and marina are at the west end of the village. Lakones is directly north of Paleokastritsa.

I have also shown the Golden Fox Complex hotel and restaurant and the Akrotiri Beach Hotel. The bus stop shown is for the Inter-City Green Bus line to/from Corfu. This is the location reported on the internet. The bus runs every half hour and the ride from Corfu is 45 minutes. GPS coordinates for this bus stop are N 39°40'29.4", E 19°42'43.7"



J Akrotiri Beach Hotel GPS = N 39°40′21.6″, E 19°42′57.1″It's a 4-star hotel on a peninsula in Paleokastritsa, on Agia Triada Beach.See http://www.akrotiri-beach.com/photo-gallery-corfu-hotel.aspx

Carol Mills stopped in this area for photographs (below). The scenery is gorgeous.

Paleokastritsa is the most picturesque area of the island and is situated 24 km northwest from the Town of Corfu. The cliffs divide the coastline into 6 sandy bays where the emerald color of the rich vegetation reaches the shoreline and meets the blue sea. This is a place of dramatic beauty and romance where, according to the legend, Nausika rescued the castaway Odysseus. The hotel is situated on a peninsula, "Akrotiri" in Greek. On the west side of the hotel “Agia Triada” beach is an organized public beach where our guests have immediate access through the lift and a few steps. On the east side of the hotel, the “RockyBeach” is made up of small platforms on the hillside. This spot is ideal for the lovers of nature and for a peaceful swim.

Photos and Comments from Gene Pearce RE his Corfu Taxi TourAfter St George Bay, we stopped at a tiny village and followed a path through an olive grove to an overlook ofthe sea. It was beautiful.

The taxi drove up a narrow road to a small taverna with an open patio on the cliffs on the north side ofAngelokastro. We enjoyed a drink and views of the castle, the cliffs, and sea.

The next stop was at a small shop along the road. The owners gave us samples of products to taste including their wines. We purchased a runner for our dining room table.



http://www.akrotiri-beach.com/photo-gallery-corfu-hotel.aspx

Our lunch stop was in Paleokastritsa with a full view of the bay.

We made a photo stop at a rock with a single tree growing from the top. There was a small bar below to the right and a sheer cliff. A man climbed up to a perch with the aid of a rope attached to the cliff. I watched him jumped off the cliff. Pretty amazing.

Vangelis dropped us off in Old Town Corfu. We had time to explore the town before returning to the ship. It was an excellent taxi tour.

Gene Pearce

Corfu is a Green Island Unlike most Greek Islands, Cofu has lush, green foliage. There were flowers along the highway in themountains. These photos were taken on May 25, 2010 and May 20, 2013.



Goats were grazing along the road.

Foliage in the mountains was a rich, deep green color.

Corfu impresses me as a tranquil, beautiful island with many things to see and do. Corfu was a favorite, visitedby kings, queens, and aristocrats for hundreds of years for good reason. It's a spectacularly, beautiful island.

Spending some vacation time on Corfu is on my bucket list.

I would like to thank Vangelis Koulouris for permitting me to use some of his photos in the following section ofthis port guide to showcase the diverse, breathtaking beauty of Corfu.

Tom Sheridan



Coru is a beautiful, diverse island, let me count the ways - - -

A traditional boat at Corfu Old Town Port (Vangelis Koulouris)

Esplanade Square, Old Town Corfu (Vangelis Koulouris)



Snorkeling in Paleokastritsa (Vangelis Koulouris)

Boukari Beach (Vangelis Koulouris)



Angelokastro (Vangelis Koulouris)

Korission Lake Cedar Forest (Vangelis Koulouris)



Issos Beach (Vangelis Koulouris)

Ropa Valley in Spring (Vangelis Koulouris)



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Toms Corfu Cruise Port Guide: GreeceMar 25, 2014 · Toms Corfu Cruise Port Guide: Greece Includes...

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